Wound Healing and Respiratory Care Bare Bones Exam Review

Practice flashcards covering critical terminology, wound stages, drainage types, chest tube management, and respiratory assessment for Module 5 and 6 exam preparation.

Granulation Tissue

Red, moist, beefy, healthy healing tissue.

Slough

Yellow, soft, moist dead tissue.

Eschar

Black, dry, hard dead tissue; notable exception: stable heel eschar on an ischemic limb should not be removed.

Debridement

The removal of dead tissue through surgical, mechanical, enzymatic, or autolytic methods.

Biofilm

Bacteria in a protective slime layer that delays healing, is resistant to antibiotics, and usually requires mechanical debridement.

Wound VAC (NPWT)

A system using negative pressure to remove drainage, promote granulation tissue, increase blood flow, and collapse dead space.

Hematoma

A collection of blood under the skin that increases dead space and the risk of infection.

Surgical Site Infection (SSI)

An infection occurring within $30$ days of surgery, or within $90$ days if an implant was placed.

Neutrophils

First responder cells arriving in approximately $24$ hours to eat bacteria and debris.

Macrophages

Cells that arrive after neutrophils to eat debris and release growth factors.

Fibroblast

The key cell in the proliferative phase that makes collagen, proteoglycans, and glycoproteins.

Angiogenesis

The formation of new blood vessels occurring during the proliferative phase.

Primary Intention

Wound healing where edges are closed (sutured or stapled), presenting low infection risk, fast healing, and minimal scarring.

Secondary Intention

Wound healing for open wounds with significant tissue loss, such as pressure ulcers, involving granulation tissue and higher infection risk.

Tertiary Intention

Wound healing where a wound is initially left open (often due to infection) and closed later.

Albumin

A protein marker for nutrition where levels below $3.5$ indicate malnutrition and a high risk for delayed wound healing.

Dehiscence

A complication where wound edges separate but organs stay inside.

Evisceration

An emergency where wound edges separate and organs protrude; requires sterile saline-soaked dressings and placing the patient in low Fowler's with knees bent.

Serous Drainage

Clear, watery drainage.

Sanguineous Drainage

Bright red bloody drainage.

Serosanguineous Drainage

Pink or light red drainage common after surgery.

Purulent Drainage

Thick, yellow, green, or brown drainage indicating infection.

Stage 1 Pressure Injury

Intact skin with non-blanchable redness.

Stage 2 Pressure Injury

Partial-thickness skin loss presenting as a blister or shallow ulcer.

Stage 3 Pressure Injury

Full-thickness skin loss where fat is visible, but no bone, muscle, or tendon is exposed.

Stage 4 Pressure Injury

Full-thickness skin loss with visible bone, muscle, or tendon.

Unstageable Pressure Injury

A wound whose base is covered by slough or eschar, making it impossible to see the full depth.

Deep Tissue Pressure Injury (DTPI)

Intact skin or a blood-filled blister that appears purple or maroon.

Braden Scale

A tool used to assess pressure injury risk where lower scores indicate higher risk (e.g., $\text{score} \trianglelefteq 9$ is very high risk).

Clock Method

A documentation technique for wound location and tunneling where $12 \text{ o'clock}$ represents the patient's head.

Hydrocolloid

A dressing used for Stage 2 pressure injuries and granulating wounds with moderate drainage; it can stay on for $3$ to $5$ days.

Alginate

A dressing derived from algae used to absorb heavy drainage in tunnels, sinus tracts, and Stage 3 or 4 wounds.

Hydrogel

A glycerin- or water-based dressing used to add moisture to dry, necrotic, or deep wounds.

Pneumothorax

Air in the pleural space causing hyperresonant percussion and sometimes tracheal deviation away from the affected side if it becomes a tension pneumothorax.

Hemothorax

Blood in the pleural space resulting in dull percussion and MIDLINE trachea.

Water-Seal Chamber

A one-way valve in a chest tube system that allows air to leave the pleural space but prevents it from returning.

Tidaling

Normal fluctuation in the water-seal chamber where the level rises during inspiration and falls during expiration.

Continuous Bubbling in Water-Seal

A sign of an air leak in the chest tube system.

Subcutaneous Emphysema

Also called crepitus; a condition where air is trapped under the skin, feeling like 'Rice Krispies'.

Bronchoscopy

A procedure to visualize airways; the patient must remain NPO until the gag reflex returns.

Thoracentesis

The removal of fluid, blood, or air from the pleural space; patients should lie on the unaffected side for one hour following the procedure.

Rhonchi

Coarse crackles that sound like snoring or gurgling caused by mucus in large airways.

Rales

Fine crackles that sound like popping or Rice Krispies caused by fluid in the alveoli.

Stridor

A harsh, high-pitched sound during inspiration indicating an upper airway emergency.

Hypercapnia

High levels of $CO_2$ in the blood, which serves as the primary drive for breathing via the medulla oblongata and pons.

Jackson-Pratt (JP) Drain

A closed drainage system with a round bulb providing low suction; the bulb must be compressed to function.

Hemovac Drain

A closed drainage system with a flat circular disc used for high suction, often after orthopedic surgery.

Transparent Film

A clear dressing used for Stage 1-2 pressure injuries, IV sites, or superficial wounds to maintain moisture.

Hypoxemia

Low oxygen levels in the blood.

Hypoxia

Low oxygen levels in the tissues.